The government put teachers on election duty flouting RTE guidelines.
October is going to be a nightmare for city teachers. Besides trying to complete the syllabus for upcoming semester exams, teachers have been selected for the election duty. But teachers are crying foul over the duty this time as it goes against the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.
The state cabinet has recently passed an order for implementing the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.
According to the Act, teachers should not be assigned census and election duties. But violating the rule, the state education department has sent notices to teachers to do election duty (re-examine voters’ list) in October. The department issued notices to teachers and clerks of private unaided and government aided schools on September 13 to report for election duty.
Moreover, teachers claim that they have enough on their plate for the month of October. The board exams for Standard X and XII will be conducted in October. Also, semester exams for Standard IX and X are scheduled to start next month. Teachers are not prepared to report for the election duty as they are bogged down with continuous comprehensive evaluation, oral exams and constantly making notifications for the mid-term assessment. Now the association has written to the state school education department and to the Election Commission.
“We are waiting for their response. If the government still forces us to do election duty, we are planning to stage a massive boycott,” said Anil Bornare, head of the Rashtriya Shikshak Parishad.
“Even though the RTE Act that was aimed at creating a conducive atmosphere for teachers so that their productivity could increase is in place, teachers are still getting a raw deal. The government is not following its own rules. Even after the RTE has been brought into force, they are still asking teachers to perform such duties. Election duties are time consuming and already we are grappling with the mid-term assessment for students,” said Bornare.
Few teachers from Mira Road-Bhayendar, who were summoned for election duties, ignored the summons. Now, the government has sent notices to them.
“If you do not report for poll duty, your teaching posts will be suspended and you will be jailed, is how they threaten us teachers,” said another teacher from a government aided school in CST.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}